Couch-hammock.



I. E. PALMER.

COUCH HAMMOGK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1912.

1,094,925. Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

3 SHEETSr-SHEET l.

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I. E. PALMER.

COUCH HAMMOGK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1912.

1,094,925. Pa ented Ap1n28, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. n. c

I. E. PALMER.

COUCH HAMMOOK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1912.

1 ,O94,925, Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I maven/$0 7 Isaac EfPaZmer.

coLuMmK'FLANooR/mn co., WASHINGTON. n. c.

ISAAC E. PALMER, OF MIDDLETOWN,

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE I. E. PALMER CO., OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

COUCH-HAMMOCK.

Continuation in November 6, 1912.

To all wlwm it may concern.

Be it known that 1, Isaac E. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Isliddletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Couch-Hammocks, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to couch hammocks, the object thereof being to improve certain parts thereof and more particularly the frame and seating.

This application is in part a division of and is a continuation of my application Serial No. 721,765, filed September 23, 1912, now Patent No. 1,053,860, dated February 1S, 1913.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, 1 have disclosed a single -em bodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view mainly in plan of a couch hammock embodying my invention; Fig. 2 an enlarged view mainly in plan of one end of said frame, parts being broken away; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 2, parts be ing broken away; d is a side elevation, parts being broken away, of the frame shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view upon the line 5 5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a cross section upon the line 66 of Fig. 2;

7 is a detail in plan showing one manner of attaching the lateral edges of the seating to the side members of the frame; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 of a slightly modified form of the invention; Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the con struction shown in Fig. 7 Fig. 10 is a transverse section of the construction shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a detail showing a modified connection for the frame members; Fig. 12 is a plan view of one corner of the frame and showing a detachable corner bracket applied thereto; Fig. 13 is a view in cross section and side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 12; Fig. 1 1 is a front elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 12; Fig. 15 is a cross sectional view taken through the hammock frame and showing a detachable side bracket applied thereto; Fig. 16 is a plan view of the construction Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

part of application Serial No. 721,765, filed September 23, 1912. This application filed Serial No. 729,791.

shown in Fig. 15 and showing the upstanding fabric edge in section; Fig. 17 is an inside elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 15; and Figs. 18 and 19 are respectively a plan and cross sectional view of a slightly modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

The frame of the hammock is preferably composed of metallic side members 1-1 and metallic end members 22, the former being represented as cylindrical or tubular and the latter as angular. The construction of the metallic end members is shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 6, wherein the upstanding edge or flange of an end is represented at 3, and the inwardly extending web or flange thereof is indicated at 4. The adjacent terminals of these members are connected together in a manner to be more fully hereinafter described.

The frame is provided with any suitable seating, such, for example, as one formed of wire links or rope or cloth. I have herein represented a seating composed of Wire links 5 arranged in triangular form and connected to the plates 6, but it is to be understood that any other suitable seating may be employed. The seating is herein shown as connected to the end members 2 of the frame by coiled springs 7, the ends 8 whereof take into perforations 9 in the inwardly extending web t of the end members of the frame. The web or flange of each end member is inclined or upwardly extended as indicated most clearly at 10 in Fig. 6, in order to place the seating more nearly central with respect to the top and bottom edges of the web or flange 3 and also to bring the line of strain of the seating more nearly central with respect to said points. This result may be effected by bending the web 1 throughout the greater portion of its length,that is, throughout the transverse extent of the seating. The lateral edges of the seating are connected in any suitable manner to the side members of the frame, but preferably by means of pieces encircling or substantially encircling said side members 1.

In Figs. 7 and 9, I have represented a thin resilient steel band 11 encircling the side member 1 and provided at its ends with holes 12, through which and the adjacent eye of the plate 6 is passed a suitable band,

wire or pin 13. llhile within the scope of my invention 1 may provide a wire in lieu of the band 11, it find the latter preferable and may connect it in any suitable manner to the seating. For example, in Figs. 8 and 10, i have re n'esented the metallic band 11 as connected by a wire 1i to one of the longi tudinally extending links 5 of the seatin llhen the seating subjected to the strain of use, the resilient metallic bands 11 turn somewhat upon the side members 1, and thus pe..mit the side edges of the seating to yield dowmrardly. When the seating is relieved of the strain of use, the parts assume the position shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, md the bands 11 are then relieved of all itrain, the seating then extending in a plane ntersecting substantially the horizontal axis f ti o side members 1 of the frame. Any

number of bands 11 may be emat each side of the frame. Preferi i. employ three or four at each side of the frame. The hammock may be provided with any suitable body.

in Figs. 1, and 1 have represented the hammock as provided w'th sheet-like preferably cloth ends 15 having at their upper ends pockets in which are mounted suitable spreader-s. If desired, the said ends 15 may constitute the true suspension ends and may be provided at their upper ends with cords arranged at suitable intervals along the spreader and serving to support the hammock. Preferably, however, 1 provide suspension strands here shown as chains 16. ll hen using chains, I preferably employ four, one extending upwardly from each corner of the hammock frame, and at the upper ends thereof may provide suitable by which the hammock may be suspended. Instead of providing suspension chains, 1 may provide other suitable suspen sion strands, such as cords or the like. The ends 1-i of the hammock may be unitary with each other or connected together, as in the so :alled Gloucester hammock, but preferably ii: terminate each end 14c at the adjacent end of the frame; and for this purpose have here represented one of said ends as ha ring therein a pocket 17 receiving a s 'n'eader 18 connected by means of hooks l5) and bolts 20 to the web 1- of the end member 9 of the frame. The bolts 20 may, if de sired, be omitted, thus permitting the hooks if) to be readily removed from the frame. By reason of the fact that the webs 1 of the end member of the frame are upwardly bent, the said webs and the spreaders 18 may lie tlatwise as indicated. in Fig. 5.

Heretofore, as disclosed in my Patent No. Stifili, I have provided corner brackets rigidly attached to the frame, said brackets affording back pieces or supports against which the upstanding fabric sides of the hammock body may be drawn tight. In this inc ines manner I secure well defined and preferably rectangular corners at the meeting ends of the side and end members of the frame. This member is, however, substantially above the frame, and although very effective for its purpose may become damaged in packing or transportation. To avoid this objection, I provid elongated meailie links 21, shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. Each link 21 is provided at. its upper end with a hooked end 22 to engage the lower end of the adjacent suspension chain 16, and at its lower end is provided with a hook 23 taking into a suitable perforation 24- at a point preferably so close to the extreme end of the web 3 that when the hammock is suspended, the outer edge 25 of the link 31 is in alincment with or forms a continuation of the vertical end edge of the said web 3, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. ii'loreover, the said link is positioned closely against the outer face of the web 3, as shown in Fig. -l-, so that when the hammock is simported the said links 21 form backing members or sup ports against which the fabric sides and ends of the h ammock may be drawn tight.

If desired, 1 may provide the hammock with upstanding cloth or other sides 26, the ends of which meet the vertical edges of the ends 1-l, to which they may be connect-ed by cords passing through gromets or in any other suitable manner. These upstanding sides 26 may be connected to the frame in any suitable manner, as, for example, by means of staples 2T permitting the ready removal of paid upstanding sides from the frame. it will be evident that the ends 14 and upstanding sides 26 may be tightly secured together and that the links 21 will n'ovidc rectangular corners at the meeting edges thereof. The said links 21, when the hammock is not suspended, assume a horizontai position, the eyes 23 tin'ning in the holes 2-1; for this purpose. In such position of the parts, the said links 21. do not project substantially above the upper edge of the frame.

i have previously stated that the side members of the frame are composed of cylindrical and lneferably tubular n'ietallic members 1. in order to secure the side and end members of the frame rigidly together and to accomplish this result inexpensively and yet satisfactorily, it provide the end members of the frame with some suitable formation extending out of the plane of the upper surface of the flange or web at thereof. Preferably It so bend the terminal portions of the webs t as to form sli ht recesses 28, into which the cylindrical side members 1 are seated. By providing a suitable recess or other supporting formation, I am en abled, to secure the side and end members rigidly together by means of a bolt 29 or the like at each corner of the frame. Each bolt passes through the meeting ends of the members 1 and 2 of the frame. I'Vhile I prefer to provide recesses 28 to receive the ends of the side members 1 of the frame, I may provide projections integral with said end members and extending upwardly from their upper faces, against which the said side members take and are held by the bolts 29.

An important feature of my invention consists in the knock down character of the frame. To that end, I may employ, instead of the bolts 29 which provide a permanent union of the end and side members of the frame, screws and nuts 30, 31, as indicated in Fig. 11.

I contemplate the employment of corner brackets and side brackets to be detachably applied to the frame and having portions to be engaged and held in position by the seating. Although I have herein shown the said brackets as applied to metallic frames, it is to be understood that they may be ap plied to frames partly or wholly formed of wood or other non-metallic material. In my Patent No. M4 814, I have disclosed corner brackets which are directly secured to the wooden frame. lVhere, however, the frame is of metal, it is in certain cases objectionable to secure the bracket directly thereto. Therefore, I have herein shown brackets adapted to rest upon or against the members of the frame and to engage and be held in position by the seating.

In Figs. 12, 13 and is, I have represented a. wire bracket 32 having a general rightangular form above the frame but with a curved corner. This bracket is provided at one end with a hook adapted to engage the hooked end 22 of the link 21. The wire 32 where it meets the tubular side member 1 of the frame is bent or curved as indicated at 34, so as to fit closely thereto throughout any desired circumferential eX- tent. I have herein represented the wire 32 as resting upon the member 1 throughout substantially ninety degrees of the circumferential extent of said member. Beyond the bent portion 3% the wire is straight as indicated at 35 in Fig. 12 and extends substantially to the nearest spring 7 where it is sharply bent into a. shoulder 36 and terminates in an end 37 which passes through the terminal eye of the spring '7. The said wire 32 is firmly held in position by reason of the engagement of its eye 33 with the hooked end 22, by reason of the curved portion 3-1 resting upon the member 1 of the frame, and by reason of the insertion of the end 37 in the hooked end of the spring 7. The shoulder 36 prevents the wire 33 from moving inward off the frame member 1, and its movement along or axially of the member 1 is prevented by the hook 33 and the eye of the spring 7. The

upstanding side of the hammock at the point where it is secured to the upstanding end thereof is held in upright or vertical position by the said corner bracket 32. In Figs. 15, 16 and 17, I have represented a similar bracket adapted to be applied to the side members 1 of the frame intermediate the ends thereof and to take into pockets 38 of the upstanding sides 39 of the hammock body or to take against the inner faces of the upstanding sides. The bracket shown in said figures is of a general rectangular form. It is bent at substantially mid-length into an upstanding inverted U-shaped portion 40, and each member extending rom said portion :0 is provided with a curved portion 41 resting upon and conforming to the contour of the side member 1 of the frame. Beyond said curved portion 11, the two portions are continued straight, as indicated at 12 and are then bent to provide shoulders 4C3 which take against the links 5, as illustrated in Fig. 16. The wires are bent beyond the shoulders 43 at substantially right angles as indicated at as, and pass through the eyes of said links 5 close to or against the plates 6. The shoulders 13 prev nt the inward movement of the said brackets from off the tubular members 1, and the eyes of the links 5 prevent their displacement axially along said frame members 1 in either direction. It is, of course, to be understood, that the brackets herein shown may be applied to angle members of frames by bending said brackets in conformity with the shape of the angle iron or the flange thereof. Moreover the bracket can be applied to a wooden frame or frame having a substantially flat face by suitably bending the wire.

In Figs. 18 and 19, I have shown a slightly modified form of the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Therein the bands 11 terminate short of the plates 6, and short links or eyes 4L5 are provided to connect the bands 11 to the plates 6.

This application is in part a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 721,765, filed September 23, 1912.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims.

1. A frame for a couch hammock consisting of tubular, straight, side members and straight, angle iron end members connected at their meeting ends and positioned in the same plane, the horizontal webs of said angle irons being downwardly bent at their ends to provide recesses for the side mem bers of the frame, and the intermediate portions of said webs being upwardly deflected, a single bolt passing through the end of each side niember and the recessed portion of the meeting web, and a seating having end springs connected to said upwardly deflected. portions of the web, and spring bands encircling said side members of the frame and connected to the sides of the seating, whereby the seating and members of the frame are supported in the same plane.

-l, frame for a couch hammock com prising substantially cylindrical side members, transverse end members connected thereto, a seating secured to the end mem bers of the frame, and fastening devices encircling said side members, said devices be ing connected to the lateral edges of the seatii'ig.

A frame for a couch hammock consisting of an angle iron end members, and side members connected to the terminals of the end members, one of the webs of each end member being substantially uprigh and the other extending ii'iwardly and having an rip-turned edge substantially the entire disilt'l'lCG between the side members, and a seating having end springs connected to said up turned ed 'e 4;. It frame for a couch hammock consisting of angle iron end members, and side members connected to the terminals of the end member one of the webs of each end member being -1.bstantially upright and the other extemfing inwardly and having an up-turned edge substantially the entire distance between the side members, a spreader connected to the under side of the inwardly extending web of each end member, said spreadeis having suspension means extending therefrom, and a seating having end springs connected to said rip-turned edges.

iii :trai'ne for a couch hammock consisting of angled, metallic end members, and side members connected to the tern'linals 01 the end members, one of the webs of each end member being substantially upright and the other extending inwardly and having an lip-turned edge substantially the entire bopics this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

distance between the side members, and having their upper surfaces transversely reccssed for the reception of the terminals of the side members, and a seating having end springs connected to said nip-turned edges.

6. A frame for a couch hammock con sisting of angle iron end members, and side members connected to the terminals of the end members, one of the webs of each end member being substantially upright and the other extending inwardly and having an rip-turned edge substantially the entire distance bet veen the side members, the terminals of the inwardly extending webs being bent into transverse recesses for the reception of the side members, bolts penetrating the teri'ninals of the side members and said recessed terminals of the end members, and a seating having end. springs connected to said rip-turned edges.

7. A frame for couch hammocks comprising tubular metallic side members, trans verse end members connected thereto, a seating secured to the end members of the frame, and movable metallic spring bands encircling said side members, said spring bands being connected to the lateral edges of the seating.

8. A frame for a couch hammock consist ing of angle-iron end members and side members connected to the terminals of the end members, one of the webs of each mem ber being substantially upright and the other extending inwardly, the terminals of the inwardly extending webs being bent into transverse recesses for the reception of the side members, bolts penetrating the ter minals of the side members and said re cesscd terminals of the end members, and a seating connected to the inwardly extending webs of said end members In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ISAAC E. PALE HER. Witnesses IRVING U. TOWNSEND, Romans H. KAMMLun.

by addressing the fiommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

